How sad is this?

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

I first happened on this film on a German satellite TV while channel-flipping one late night over two decades ago. It was one of the early scenes of conflict between the main characters (Kiefer Sutherland and Lou Diamond Phillips). The film instantly sucked me in and I watched to the end well past midnight. With constants re-runs on TV, I must have watched it again at least half a dozen times. Now that Netflix has it, I watched Renegades again, and it still didn't get old for me. Beyond the chemistry between its two leads, I want to emphasize a couple of aspects of the film which stand out to me.One is the strangely gloomy tone for a Hollywood film. This starts with the setting in Philadelphia's decaying urban jungle, continues with the score (no bombastic 1980s pop-rock but a sad Native American pipe) and finishes with an ending that, although a victory for our two leads, is weighted down by a sense of great loss for both of them.What I also like are the subtle deviations from the standard elements of the genre. In most 1980s Hollywood cop films, policemen are successful by breaking the rules, especially when it comes to torturing and killing suspects, but they never make an error in judgment. But in this film, Kiefer Sutherland's maverick cop is sometimes a real a**hole just to relieve tension, his undercover work leads to the death of innocents, and confronts the villain's girlfriend under a mistaken notion of her level of involvement. Speaking of the villain's girlfriend, I can't write much about Jamie Gertz's role without spoilers, but suffice to say she makes an impression even though the film completely omits the development of a romantic story-line.What I found particularly interesting in this latest re-watch was the non-black-and-white bad cop character (Bill Smitrovich), a corrupt person who still has some conscience left. His constant inner conflict was skilfully emphasized by the scriptwriter and the actors by having a second corrupt cop character as contrast, with the pair hating each other's guts.A final deviation from 1980s common tropes is the main villain. Robert Knepper plays a gangster apparently belonging to the less common type of the upper-class bad apple. But, instead of projecting flair like Sean Connery in The Great Train Robbery or Alan Rickman in Die Hard, Knepper expertly brings out the character's notion of entitlement: it's in the scene that puts Lou Diamond Phillips's character on a war path, in his treatment of his henchmen, and especially in his displeasure at failing to control Smitrovich's bad cop.Finally, I was surprised to find that the film has such a low IMDb score and many negative reviews, almost exclusively from the USA. It's like other reviewers saw a different movie. I accept tastes differ, but I can't chase away the thought that at east part of it (especially the contemporary reception) was down to unwillingness to confront the Native American themes, from the poverty shown in the opening scene through the racism Lou Diamond Phillips's character confronts as an aside to the history reminder at the end.

Renegades (1989) reunites two of the stars of Young Guns I and II. L.D.P. and Kiefer Sutherland are two guys out to get justice for the red man and the down trodden. One funny scene in this movie is when an old "chief:" goes out like his ancestors. Other than that there is nothing worth watching. The acting is mediocre and the direction is pedestrian. L.D.P. mugs for the camera whilst Kiefer Sutherland "carries" the movie on his tired shoulders. Too many movies like these were cranked out during the eighties and they're all bad. But if you're an L.D.P. fan then you'll be in hog heaven!Recommended for L.D.P. fans. Others will want to stay away!!

This is one of those films that just grows on you over time because so many of the people have gone on to such better works (and at the same time have had work just as bad, if not worse). This film just shows you how far Kiefer Sutherland and Lou Diamond Philips have come in their careers both in terms of success and acting ability - you can definitely see where Sutherland starting building up his "in pain" acting that he uses so effectively in 24.The acting is decent, nothing to scream Oscar about, the story is somewhat fleshed out, there are some cinematic holes (like the scene where Lou Diamond Philips is supposedly sitting on the front to the car while Kiefer Sutherland is driving the car backwards with the hood up - the entire scene you can see under the crack of the hood that no one was sitting there - not well thought out in my opinion), but it does keep you guessing until the very end of the movie who the bad cops are and it is a little bit surprising that there is not one, but two bad cops.Its an entertaining movie that doesn't allow the violence to run the whole show until the very end of the movie. Its got some decent twists, some mild comic relief, the requisite chase scenes and a fairly satisfying conclusion.Its a good late night rental for Sutherland and/or Philips fans.

THE film RENEGADES, was a movie shot in ONTARIO and used such locations as a building used by TORONTO POLICE 42 division or a similar unit. The film was also shot partially in Pennsylvania. The film had moments of on screen brillance which is a trademark of all the JACK SHOULDER aka SHOLDER movies I have seen. The film should have had a alternate version. I am a fan of such films as the COWBOY WAY which use projects modeled after the "big city modern western approach" of film plots. This film has a big city western feel yet, also has a supernatural polt which ties in with indian myths and religion. RENEGADES also featued a early appearance by the respected actor who played LIAM KINCAID on EARTH FINAL CONFLICT (VON FLORES. I would have done things differently yet, i am nobody. The film was not a bad film, yet, could not LOU DIAMOND PHILLIPS have played a triabla cop in pursuit of a criminal or a PI? Yet, giving him the role of a normal citizen who can handle himself is possibly better. This avoids cop movie cliches. In the film BUSTER and "CHIEF" played by Phillips get caught up in a mob war after a well financed mob thug steals a sacred relic. This film is not the DEER HUNTER but is worth a evenings view and features BILL SMITROVICH doing a great job playing a role we have seen in the movies one hundred times...I liked the character. Formula, well made formula sells. Or is that statement trite on my part? RENEGADES has the edge on being a restrianed action piece which brings it down to earth on believability. I enjoy seeing Sutherland playing agood guy hot off the heels of playing a psychotic in THE KILLING TIME...one of his best roles.